With a special thanks to the sports information directors at the respective schools, here is my weekly installment of 10 things you may not know — about Saturday’s “Border War” rivalry game between Colorado State and Wyoming.

1. Wyoming lists Saturday’s game as the 105th meeting, while Colorado State calls it the 104th meeting. The difference is, Wyoming includes the first game, on Nov. 30, 1899, while CSU does not count it because it was a forfeit victory — even though it was a win for CSU. Wyoming says it chooses to include that 1899 meeting because research shows that the game did indeed start before a disagreement led to a forfeit.

2. The Bronze Boot traveling trophy that goes to the winner was an actual military boot worn by CSU alumnus Dan Romero in Vietnam. The Bronze Boot trophy dates to 1968.

3. Wyoming trails in the “Border War” series 44-55-5 (by its count) but leads in the series since the end of World War II by a 39-28 margin — including victories in the past four meetings. Wyoming last won five straight in the series from 1969-73.

2. Kugler played at UTEP (1985-88 as an offensive lineman) and, according to research conducted by the school, he is one of only 12 active Division I coaches at their alma mater. Some of the notables include Troy Calhoun (Air Force), Pat Fitzgerald (Northwestern), Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State), David Shaw (Stanford) and Frank Beamer (Virginia Tech).

Colorado State quarterback Garrett Grayson is helped off the field against Air Force on Sept. 29. (The Associated Press)

FORT COLLINS – Colorado State quarterback Garrett Grayson is out for Saturday’s game against UNLV, coach Jim McElwain said today.

The sophomore quarterback injured his left shoulder – his arm was in a sling today – during CSU’s game at Wyoming over the weekend. He played in the game in the third quarter, his first action since breaking his clavicle in the Sept. 29 game at Air Force.

“Sometimes as a coach you’ve got to do what’s best for the individual and not for you,” McElwain said. “This will be kind of a week-to-week deal, we’ll talk about it next Monday as well.”

FORT COLLINS – Conner Smith starts under center on Saturday against Wyoming, but Colorado State’s starting quarterback each week is far from a done deal. In fact, theoretically it could change on a weekly basis based on game and practice performance.

“I think our plan as a staff has been to give Conner the reps with the first team, track Garrett (Grayson’s) progress and how he’s coming along, not only physically but mentally,” CSU quarterbacks coach Billy Napier said.

“I think that’s my biggest challenge to him; show us, get back to where you were at just from an execution standpoint…and then being productive in practice. Ultimately what it will come down to is: Who is the guy who is going to give us the best chance to win the game? That’s our plan.”

And that’s more than welcome news to its coach, Jim McElwain, and to a team looking to make big strides in the final four games of the season.

First up is quarterback Garrett Grayson, who is listed as probable for Saturday’s game at Wyoming. He’s missed three straight games and four weeks total since breaking his clavicle against Air Force on Sept. 29. Yet, there’s still enough uncertainty about how he’ll fare in a game that he will not start on Saturday. Redshirt freshman Conner Smith will.

FORT COLLINS – Quarterback Conner Smith is confirmed starter for Colorado State’s game on Saturday against Hawaii, coach Jim McElwain said this afternoon at his weekly news conference.

Smith, a redshirt freshman from Richmond, TX, will make his first collegiate start against the Rainbow Warriors. He’s getting the chance due to multiple injuries at the position. The starter, Garrett Grayson, has been out since breaking his clavicle against Air Force on Sept. 29. Grayson’s backup, M.J. McPeek, was injured in CSU’s last game, at San Diego State on Oct. 13. Smith took over in that game and finished 18-for-22 for 165 yards and an interception.

McPeek (shoulder) is still not 100 percent, but will be ready for reserve duty should the Rams need it on Saturday.

FORT COLLINS – Colorado State released its first depth chart today, and there were a few surprises contained within it. And they started with an area that had been taken for granted — the defensive alignment.

Early on it was made known CSU’s defense was switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4 this season. Only, on the depth chart these are the front seven positions on defense: LDE, DT, DT, RDE, SLB, MLB, WLB.

Shaquil Barrett — a preseason all-conference selection at linebacker — is listed as a right defensive end, along with Broderick Sargent and Steven Michel.

CSU coach Jim McElwain has already said that Barrett, the team’s leading tackler from a year ago, would play both standing up and with his hand in the ground. The suggestion, however, was that he’d be a linebacker with the ability to put his hand in the ground, thus the team plays a 3-4.

Kensler joined The Denver Post in 1989 and has covered a variety of beats, including Colorado, Colorado State, golf, Olympics and the Denver Broncos. His brush with greatness: losing in a two-on-two pickup basketball game at Ohio State against two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin.

Terry Frei graduated from Wheat Ridge High School in the Denver area and has degrees in history and journalism from the University of Colorado-Boulder. He worked for the Rocky Mountain News while attending CU and joined the Post staff after graduation. He has also worked at the Oregonian in Portland, Ore., and The Sporting News. His seventh book, March 1939: Before the Madness, was issued in February 2014.